Lord Triesman: As my right honourable friend the Prime Minister explained in his Statement to Parliament of 19 December, the European Council of 15–16 December 2005 succeeded in achieving agreement on the next EC budget for the 2007–13 financial perspective. As part of the package, the member states reached agreement on future structural and cohesion funds spending.
	The Government have argued consistently that, following enlargement, it is right that the structural funds should be focused to a greater extent on the poorest EU member states. The agreement will enable the EU to address priorities in the new member states while still maintaining some funding for richer member states, in particular their poorer regions. The older EU member states (the EU15) will face reductions in spending compared with current levels, reflecting their comparative prosperity and the need to support the economic convergence of the new member states.
	The degree to which member states can determine how structural funding is used in their regions will be determined by the separate structural fund regulations, which are still being negotiated. Each member state's national strategic reference frameworks (NSRF) will set out the broad objectives for future programmes within each member state. Within their strategic frameworks, member states will have considerable flexibility in directing structural fund spending in accordance with agreed EU aims for regional development. The Government are planning to consult on the UK's draft NSRF over the coming months.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: It is not possible to answer the question at this stage. The MMR litigation is a particularly complex area involving both generic and individual work, some of which is ongoing or has not yet been paid for.
	Some legal aid certificates will be undergoing assessment by the court at the end of March 2006. If the court reaches a decision and all the outstanding bills are paid the Legal Services Commission (LSC) will then be able to provide figures.

Lord Goldsmith: I have outlined the reasons in this case in a number of letters, including one to the noble Lord, and most recently in response to a request from the Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee. Their report, which includes my response, has been published and has been placed in the Library of the House. I have also replied to an earlier question form the noble Lord (Official Report, 14/01/06, WA 168–69).

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Kingston pilot is a three-month trial which attempts to identify vulnerable children who are travelling to the UK on direct flights from Jamaica, taking place at Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester airports. Airline staff participating in the Kingston pilot received child protection awareness training delivered by UKIS and the Metropolitan Police. A hotline manned by border control staff has been provided to airline check in staff so that they can report concerns about children travelling to the UK during the trial. The pilot, which began on 31 October 2005, ran for three months. The results are currently being analysed to see whether the process can be rolled out to other areas of the world of even greater concern, in particular West Africa.
	The Kingston pilot is one of several initiatives aimed at identifying and dealing appropriately with children at risk prior to their arrival in the United Kingdom. Other areas include:
	The use of a network of airline immigration liaison officers who are posted in most of the countries that give us greatest cause for concern with regard to minors, particularly unaccompanied asylum seeking minors. Some 892 inadequately documented children were denied boarding on flights to the UK between January and November 2005 after airline check in staff referred to airline liaison officers.
	Work undertaken internationally on drafting best practice guidance on the carriage of minors.
	The introduction of a new child visitor category in the immigration rules, which requires parents or guardians of children who are visa nationals to demonstrate that suitable arrangements have been made for the travel, reception and care of children intending to visit the UK.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Lord Jopling: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why the Home Office have not answered 21 of the 48 Questions for Written Answer which have been tabled between four and 11 weeks ago, when the target time for answers is two weeks; and whether, if invited, the Secretary of State for the Home Department would be prepared to appear before a committee of the House of Lords to explain these delays.